Kent Bush: CNN anchor Don Lemon a 'double minority'?

Kent Bush

Tuesday

May 17, 2011 at 12:01 AMMay 17, 2011 at 2:15 PM

I'm no expert on discrimination. I try to be introspective about the origins of my thoughts and reactions. But I don't know that I can compete with Donald Trump in the Least Racist Person in the World competition. There are probably situations that would cause guttural reactions in me that are based on stereotypes or other ignorance on my part.

I'm no expert on discrimination.

I try to be introspective about the origins of my thoughts and reactions. But I don't know that I can compete with Donald Trump in the Least Racist Person in the World competition. There are probably situations that would cause guttural reactions in me that are based on stereotypes or other ignorance on my part.

When I notice something like that, I do my best to excise it from my thought process. As part of a family adopting an African child, racism will become a part of our life from now on.

I certainly don't want to add to the amount of racism in our society. But on the other hand, I don't think I am overly sensitive to political correctness.

That's why I am still shocked that NBC allowed the series "Outsourced" to continue as long as they did before finally canceling it.

Because of its proximity to "The Office," I gave the series a try. It didn't take long for me to develop a real animosity for the series.

Some of my best friends growing up were from an Indian family. They had children my brother's age and a couple of years older than me. They were incredible tennis players and better people.

One of the kids (now in his 40s) has worked for congressmen and is now a corporate attorney. Their daughter is a successful journalist.

Neither child grew up to work in a call center working for an evil Indian boss or a laid-back American sent to India to help run the place.

In their lives, celebrations of Diwali or traditional Indian wedding ceremonies did not cause hilarity to ensue.

The entire series seemed to be a justification for mocking Indian culture. I was very pleased when the show was canceled. I just didn't see any reason to keep them around.

Racial tension has been a part of television as long as broadcasts have been available.

But even on "All in the Family," Archie Bunker's racist beliefs were presented as the ignorant side of the argument, and he often saw the light and changed his small mind.

"Outsourced" just added new stereotypes for anyone who wanted to take a pot shot at Indian culture.

On the other hand, I think some television personalities may be hoping to be discriminated against.

In what has been called a courageous move, CNN's Don Lemon announced via Twitter and an interview with the New York Times that he is a homosexual.

Homosexuals have a pretty steep hill to climb in some areas. But on cable news, that ground has been broken pretty successfully.

That glass ceiling was shattered.

Most viewers tend to care more about what the news is and how accurately it is delivered than who the person reporting the news is sleeping with.

But Lemon still feels different.

"It's quite different for an African-American male," he said. "It's about the worst thing you can be in black culture. You're taught you have to be a man; you have to be masculine. In the black community they think you can pray the gay away."

That comment seemed pretty stereotypical for a person battling stereotypes. I'm sure as a closeted gay man in the culture that is how he felt. Whether it is accurate is another story.

But Lemon doubled down with a follow-up comment.

"You're afraid that black women will say the same things they do about how black men should be dating black women," he said. "I guess this makes me a double minority now."

I think he hopes he's a double minority now.

I really don't know why he cares what black women think about him if he is gay. But isn't saying that all black women think a certain way what we criticize racists for?

Some black women will have a problem with his sexuality. Some white women will. Some won't care at all. Some black women don't like black men dating white women - or white or black men.

I doubt all of them share either of these small-minded opinions.

Lemon needs to stop looking for ghosts. He would be rightly offended if a black heterosexual woman said, "You know how gay newscasters are." But he turned that on its head by supposing what all black women believe.

Yes, racism exists and people discriminate against homosexuals.

But criticizing the people in advance who might one day criticize you is no way to solve the problem.

Kent Bush is publisher of the Augusta (Kan.) Gazette.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.